


Baby Come Down

by 2kimi2furious



Series: Ray-Ban shades, Warheads Laid [1]
Category: Luke Cage (TV), Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-10-26
Updated: 2016-10-26
Packaged: 2018-08-27 04:26:55
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,891
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8387149
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/2kimi2furious/pseuds/2kimi2furious
Summary: Shades figures out their relationship while Mariah feels it out.





	

This is by far the most unconventional business partnership he's ever had. It's not because she's a woman (although that in itself is an rarity in this line of work). It's not even because of the physical aspect of it either (although that complicates things in its own way). Rather, it's the egalitarian nature of the partnership that's making things weird for him. Shades Alvarez has never in his life worked with someone who recognized his worth and rewarded him properly for it with an equal share of power.

Of course, just because she's treating him as an equal doesn't mean she trusts him completely. Mariah Dillard is no fool, which is part of the reason Shades hitched himself to her wagon in the first place. She trusts and values his advice, she'll take into account his opinions and feelings, but she doesn't for a second believe he's doing this out of the goodness of his own heart. Shades has always been and will always be in the game for himself, something he's never explicitly stated, but he knows Mariah is aware of. This doesn't seem to bother her though. As long as she stays on her A-game (and she's _always_ on her A-game, baby) then she has no reason to doubt Shades' loyalty or to expect some sort of coup from him. 

It's a mutually beneficial relationship that Shades would be an idiot to dissolve; Mariah knows this. She's moved him into a spare room in her old Brownstone free of charge. He's always had access to Alex, but now he's been given explicit instructions that he can ask for whatever is in reason from her P.A. And he has free reign to come and go as he pleases in both her club and home. 

But Shades knows this is actually an illusion of freedom. He's in her home to keep her safe from intruders, yes, but also so she can keep an eye on whatever he might be planning. He has Alex's obedience, but he knows Alex's true loyalties lie with Mariah and he doesn't doubt the younger man is reporting Shades' requests to her. And although he's got the keys to all of the Dillard properties, there are still certain areas that are off limits without invitation. She respects him, yes, but she doesn't trust him entirely. Shades knows that whatever power he has is contingent upon her good graces. But he figures as long as she continues to make his job easier by running the legitimate side of their business with the poise and finesse of a seasoned politician, she can do and demand whatever she wants from him. 

And she does. Not in the overt form of a power trip, but in the subtle, unspoken reminders in their daily life. And fuck if that doesn't turn Shades on a little. 

He doesn't normally like being told what to do. It reminds him too much of what it was like growing up in the streets. As a child he was bossed around by his family and larger kids on the playground. His teen years were spent as a common street thug, always the first person the boss would take their anger out on if things went south. As he grew into adulthood and passed from gang to gang, from prison to prison, he moved up the ranks, but he always ending up at the mercy of some jerk on a power trip. And he put up with it because he knew if he took it long enough, he could use it to his own advantage and serve his own purposes.

Mariah could just as easily have acted the way the rest of his bosses did. She was his superior in every way. She was the heir to the Stokes empire with an expensive education and impressive political ties while he was an outsider to the family and a convict who jumped from allegiance to allegiance as he saw fit. She was well within her right to treat him like a dog, but she was smart enough to know that she wouldn't have been able to achieve any of this without him. And she rewards him by keeping him at arm's length and letting him think she wasn't watching him. He respects that; if their positions were reversed, he would have done the exact same thing, and that makes him proud. She's catching onto this lifestyle quicker than anyone he'd ever seen. And it's this hyper-competency that Shades really likes.

Mariah seems to appreciate the same quality in him if that kiss in Harlem's Paradise is anything to go by. It was quick, rough, and unforeseen, but through it Mariah shows him she's impressed by how well he handled the Candace on his own and that she's thankful that he didn't try to use the champagne bottle she used to kill Cornell against her. 

The kiss is her way of returning his promise as well. Though he's never said it, each of Shades' actions promises unwavering support and loyalty if she continues to embrace this new side of herself. Mariah's promise to him is her willingness to give him what he wants. But only if he earns it.

Shades guesses he hasn't been very subtle in regards to his motives. He never has been. He doesn't keep his desires hidden away; rather, he keeps them out in the open open as a way to mislead people. They don't think someone so wrapped up so purposely in an aura mystique would be so straight forward with what he wants. That's something else he uses for his advantage, but Mariah saw through that in a second. Shades can't pinpoint the exact moment he decided he wanted Mariah physically, but he's pretty sure she noticed before he did. 

He doesn't mean to fall for her. It really is only about a power grab at first, but the longer he stays around her, the more her natural charisma works on him and the more he sees that their minds have the potential to be one and the same. Her age and background don't seem to matter much at all; he only sees her brilliance and how well it compliments his own and before he knows it he wants her on more than a professional level.

He certainly never expected her to want him back. He knows how he looks when he wears what he wears. He crafts his appearance to intimidate and excite. He sculpts his body to be powerful, sleek and attractive; like some sort of exotic snake. A certain type of woman is attracted to that look and Mariah is nothing like them. It's a foreign experience, to be with this older woman who knows how the world works, who knows better than to get involved with men like him, but she wants him all the same.

She is protecting herself with him. She hasn't outright given herself to him. Shades only gets moments with her and only when she wants them. All her life, Mariah has been working towards the goals of others, giving herself when she didn't necessarily want to. But what she shares with Shades is different. She's the one physically in control and he's her toy; some shiny arm candy to enjoy at her own leisure. Strangely, Shades finds that letting Mariah control their clandestine liaisons is frustratingly erotic.

Mariah is very good at keeping work and play separate. When she's giving press conferences, she leaves Shades on his own in the background, a silent figure who is virtually indistinguishable from the rest of her bodyguards . When he's giving orders to their men, she holds back, observing the way he handles them with a mixture of studiousness and approval. When a crisis comes up that they both need to tackle, their conversations are succinct and their solutions, quick and efficient. At the club, they work together, never undermining, always playing off each other until they form one highly effective unit. But the second they are alone, no eyes or ears around, her demeanor changes and Shades' whole body goes on edge as he waits to see what she's going to gift him with this time.

She's let Alex off early tonight. He's still more suited to the daylight hours of a politician's personal assistant than the nocturnal ones of a club owner. The two of them are on the top floor, Mariah at the table sipping on a cocktail that's mostly vodka and Shades standing with his hand on the railing, sober, eyes scanning the crowd below. There are guards flanking them, big dudes in sharp suits. An improvement, Shades thinks, from the sloppy thugs Cornell kept around. 

Detective Misty Knight is in the crowd somewhere. She's been coming every night since Shades and Mariah ruined her chance to take them down in court. Neither is particularly worried about her. She's a disgraced detective who is grasping desperately at straws to find a way to take them down. As if they'd be stupid enough to do business right under her nose. Shades finds her, locks eyes with her from behind his sunglasses for a second before grinning and turning back to sit at the table beside Mariah.

"She is tenacious, isn't she?" Mariah asks, swirling her cocktail before taking a sip.

"Either that or she really likes the music," Shades answers wryly.

Mariah makes a dismissive noise, barely audible above the sound of the band playing.

"I'll take care of her," Shades suggests. "I can be inconspicuous."

"Don't bother," she replies. "It will look suspicious if something happens to her in our club."

Shades can't tell if calling Harlem's Paradise their club instead of just hers is on purpose or not, but he can feel a spark ignite somewhere in his belly.

"Let her stay here," Mariah continues. "Let her think she can catch us in something. All she's going to get is egg on her face."

Shades likes the conviction behind her words.

Mariah finishes her drink and waves her hand dismissively as one of the guards steps up to get her another. It's the only acknowledgement she gives him as he takes his place back against the wall. She sits for a second, staring at nothing, mulling something over in her mind before standing up and walking toward the her office. When one of the guards goes to follow her, she holds a hand up.

"No thank you, Maurice," she says benignly. "Why don't you stay out and enjoy the music? You've earned a break."

She doesn't need to even look at Shades to know that she wants him to follow. He's come to realize that whenever Mariah dismisses the men, she wants him alone. He stands up and saunters over to the office as cool as always, though inside he's burning with energy. He turns to fix Maurice with a look that the other man can read even through the dark lenses of the glasses: he can relax, but he needs to keep an eye out on Detective Knight until they return. Maurice nods and Shades closes the door behind him.

The music is much fainter in Mariah's office. The the soft hum of the bass line and muted strains of the singer's voice float into the room through the walls, but not much else. Mariah stands at the private bar and pours two glasses of whiskey. Shades doesn't like to drink, disliking the feel of the alcohol dulling his senses, but he can't refuse Mariah.

"Have a drink," she says, more of an order than an offer. He obeys, removing his glasses and tucking them into his jacket pocket before taking the first sip. He likes for Mariah to see his eyes when they're alone. 

He rolls the whiskey in his mouth, savoring the taste before he swallows it down. She's letting him have some of the good shit. 

She watches him with dark eyes, made darker by the low lighting of the the office. Without preamble, she steps closer to him and runs a finger lightly down the sleeve of his suit jacket. The touch is soft, but he swears he can feel lightning jolting through his arm from her finger. They've had a few encounters like this since the initial kiss: quick, fleeting things that they don't talk about during or after. Shades never initiates them, but he leaves himself open and available when Mariah gets into one of her moods.

"I really appreciate you staying on top of Misty Knight, Hernan," she says in a low, husky voice. 

Shades goes by "Shades" for a reason. It's a name he's made for himself and it's what he likes to be called, but he makes an exception for Mariah. She's one of the only people who never makes his given name sound like an insult. Rather, she only uses it when they are alone and she is deeply impressed with something he's done. The intonation in her voice as his name rolls off her tongue makes him shiver. 

"Just looking out for our best interests," he replies. His throat is burning from the whiskey, and his voice is low and gravely. Mariah smiles when she hears it.

"Our interests?" Mariah's voice is teasing as she sets her glass down, just like it always is when he reminds her that he's in this with her. She likes that he's insinuated himself into the business. She likes that he wants her.

He puts down his whiskey and grins in response, eyes just as wide and dark as hers are.

She trails her finger up his arm, moving from his jacket sleeve to the lapels. His eyes follow her hands as she strokes the fabric on his chest before her fingers curl decisively into a fist and she pulls him by the jacket down to her level.

It's not a bite this time, but a full on kiss. Her mouth is sweet with the taste of whiskey and it's all he can do to keep from groaning into her mouth. He hesitantly puts his hands on her waist, but pulls her closed when he feels her move against him. Shades briefly loses track of time as they paw at each other like god damn teenagers until she pulls away. His pupils are blown and he feels slightly dazed, but he grins when he sees how proud of herself Mariah is.

"I see you had some very important business to discuss," he says cheekily.

She shoots him a look with no real malice behind it and says "Shut up."

Then she's on him again, hands snaking toward the waistband of his slacks. She pulls the shirt up from where it's tucked in and runs her hands, small and hot across his stomach. He does groan then, his skin prickling into gooseflesh as her fingers move over ink and scar.

She pulls away and arches an eyebrow teasingly at him. "What was that, Hernan?"

He's hard now and he knows she can definitely feel it. Mariah moves her hands down to rub at the bulge between his legs, never once taking her eyes from his. From the way she licks her lips, he's sure she likes the way it feels in her hands. Shades sure as hell does. He likes it so much that can't even think of smart ass quip to toss back at her. He thinks that he'd hate how quickly she's reduced him to speechlessness if he didn't love it so much. The pressure is delicious and perfect and he wants more. But just as quickly as she starts, she pulls away and takes a step back.

Shirt untucked, pupils blown, jacket wrinkled, and the fabric of his slacks straining uncomfortably, Shades looks a mess. Mariah surveys the damage and smiles to herself. She goes back to her glass of whiskey and throws back what remains in the glass. Shades stands motionless as he watches her compose herself and head toward the door to leave the office. She doesn't even look back to see if he's following her.

He takes a few seconds to get himself back under control. He's not even mad that she left him the way she did. He's impressed by the how comfortable she seemed controlling the situation and how good she was at it. He stands a still for a few more seconds willing his heart rate to slow down before he calmly and methodically fixes himself back up. Last of all, he puts his shades on and grabs his glass of whiskey. He takes a large swig to steel himself and then walks back out of the office. 

Mariah is already seated at the table and makes no indication that anything out of the ordinary happened. He doesn't acknowledge what's passed between them either, bringing his drink with him as he stands up against the rails to look at the crowd again. But he's not even processing what he's seeing. Instead, his mind is racing with all of the things he has planned for them once Mariah finally decides to do more than tease him A toothy grin forms on his face and he takes another sip of his whiskey. This partnership, this relationship, whatever it is... Shades thinks it's going to work out quite nicely.


End file.
